Abstract

The car can be integrated into the complex structures of contemporary lifestyles like no other mode of transportation. The consequence is the emergence of highly car-dependent mobility behavior. Nevertheless, the use of multiple modes of transportation, a behavior which is desirable from the perspective of transportation policy, is a matter of course and daily routine for a not insignificant segment of the population. This group, referred to as "multimodals”, is the subject of the present study. Multimodality is defined as the use of at least two of the modes of transportation bicycle, car and public transportation in a time period of one week. Monomodal car users serve as the contrast group for the study.
The study is based on the data sets from the national survey "Mobility in Germany, 2002," as well as the 1999-2004 data of the German Mobility Panel. The results show that there is a close relationship between multimodality and life stage. While a majority of adolescents are multimodal, almost out of necessity, the percentage of multimodal people declines drastically upon entry into professional life. However, an above-average number of multimodals can also be found among their older counterparts, even when car availability is high. Furthermore, the data shows that multimodal mobility behavior is most often encountered in population centers, as urban lifestyles in particular offer good conditions for the promotion of this behavior.